Theresa May puts pressure on Angela Merkel for quick deal after Chancellor snubs bid for deal for Brits living in the EU

The Prime Minister has publicly endorsed “reciprocal rights” for EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens abroad

By Harry Cole and Natasha Clark

29th November 2016, 11:46 am

Updated: 30th November 2016, 1:38 am

THERESA May heaped pressure on Angela Merkel last night after it emerged the German Chancellor snubbed her bid to cut a quick deal on the rights of EU citizens living in the UK.

It came as European Council chief Donald Tusk fuelled the row by blaming the stand off on Brexit in a scathing letter Tory MPs, accusing them not having a grip on “reality”.

EPA

Theresa May met with Angela Merkel in Berlin earlier this month where she updated her on the Brexit plans

Downing Street is keen to cut a quick deal that will see Brits living in Europe able to stay and work where they are and the livelihood of Europeans in the UK also guaranteed in returned.

Mrs May reportedly raised the issue with her German counterpart last week but was kicked back.

No10 refused to comment on a private meeting but pointed out that Mrs May had publicly endorsed “reciprocal rights.”

AP:Associated Press

The EU has said no official talks can take place before Article 50 is triggered

Last night the government pressed Mrs Merkel to offer a deal on the matter as soon as possible.

A No10 spokesman said: “We have been very clear that we will guarantee the rights of European citizens in this country provided that the rights of British citizens are similarly protected across the EU.

They added: “We have been very clear that we would like to see an early agreement on that.

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On Monday dozens Tory MPs accused the EU of holding people’s lives “hostage” and said any attempt to block an immediate deal was “inhumane”.

A group of 50 mainly Conservative MPs from the European Research Group wrote to Donald Tusk, urging him to end the deadlock.

The letter accused the EU’s lead Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier of being “worryingly indifferent” to the concerns of British and EU citizens living in one another’s countries, causing “anxiety and uncertainty”.

AP:Associated Press

Theresa May met with the Polish PM, Beata Szydlo, yesterday, where she stressed her hopes of getting a quick arrangement on the rights of citizens living abroad

But in a withering reply last night, Mr Tusk dismissed the criticisms and said talks could only begin after the government had triggered the official Article 50 two year exit process.

The former Polish PM wrote: “It is a very interesting argument, the only problem being that it has nothing to do with reality.”

And he heaped blame on the Brexiteers for the row: “Would you not agree that the only source of anxiety and uncertainty is rather the decision on Brexit?

Getty Images

Tusk denied the criticisms

“And that the only way to dispel the fears and doubts of all the citizens concerned is the quickest possible start of the negotiations based on Article 50 of the Treaty?”

In their letter, organised by Tory backbencher Michael Tomlinson, the MPs said that finding a quick solution to the issue was the “only just and humane thing to do” and that anything else would be “unworthy of Europe’s common values”.

They wrote: “Human beings are not cards to be traded ‘tit for tat’ in a political playground.

PA:Press Association

Downing Street is keen to cut a quick deal that will see Brits living in Europe able to stay

“People must come before institutions and adherence to process, European or otherwise.”

The row came as a German poll urged Angela Merkel to take a tough line with the UK in the coming Brexit negotiations.

The survey by the Korber Foundation found 58 per cent of Germans thought Mrs Merkel - who is facing a bruising election campaign next year - should not compromise with Britain.

Support for a hardline approach was particularly strong among the German chancellor’s own party with 65 per cent of CDU members saying she should not give ground to the UK.

Getty Images

Beata Szydlo warned the EU that they must compromise

Sources have told Politico that the German Chancellor is not on board with May's plans, implying that she is keen to preserve the unity of the 27 other EU states ahead of relations with Britain.